OFCCP and Tufts Associated Health Plans have agreed to settle charges of unlawful retaliation involving 12 minority customer service representatives at the company's offices in Watertown, Massachusetts. Tufts, a provider of Medicare prescription drug benefits, will pay $372,739 to one Asian, two Hispanic and nine African American employees. According to an earlier OFCCP investigation, these workers had been subjected to race-based hiring discrimination by the company. One year after settling that case, OFCCP received a complaint from one of the original class members alleging that Tufts had retaliated against him and his co-workers. For more information on this case, please check out the press release available online.

OFCCP settles sexual harassment case with L&M Construction

OFCCP and L&M Construction reached a settlement in a case involving allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation and interference with a federal investigation. During a compliance review, OFCCP compliance officers found that between May 1, 2011 and April 30, 2012, the company terminated nine employees for complaining about the hostile work environment created by this harassment and then fired five more workers to prevent them from being interviewed during OFCCP’s review. The Maryland-based firm will pay $112,573 in back wages to the 14 terminated workers and will make job offers as opportunities become available.

"No worker should ever have to put up with degrading and inappropriate behavior in order to keep a job," said OFCCP Director Patricia A. Shiu. "I hope this settlement sends a clear message to federal contractors – and to the men and women who work for them – that OFCCP will not tolerate retaliation against workers who exercise their rights, nor will we tolerate any efforts to interfere with our investigations." Please see the attached press release, which is available online in both English and Spanish.